True Love Conquers All (sequel to Loving You)

Chapter VII {Cafe Chaos}

"do you reckon everyone's alright at the wedding? maybe we should-" Harry begins

"they were after you, Harry. we'd just put everyone in danger going back." i say

"Vanessa's right. Cappuccino, please." Hermione says to the waitress as we sit in an old, empty cafe

i scrunch my eyebrows together, clueless as to what a Cappuccino was. "i'll have the same."

"what she said" Ron says

"same." Harry says

"wicked scar." the waitress comments to Harry as she goes back to the back

"so where do we go from here? the Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asks

"too dangerous. if Voldemort's taken over the Ministry, none of the old places are safe." Hermione says

the front door squeals and two workmen enter, glance idly at us, and step to the counter.

"my Rucksack. with all my things. i left it back at the Burrow." Harry says disappointed

Hermione just shakes her head. Harry eyes the beaded purse.

"you're joking." he says

"i've had the essentials packed for days. just in case." Hermione says glancing at me

"by the way--these jeans? not my favorite. bit tight." Ron complains

i can't help but give a slight chuckle. then my eyes shift to the small security mirror near the ceiling, see the two workmen turning.

"DOWN!" i yell shoving everyone to the floor

the tile explodes on the wall where Ron's head had been only seconds before. a rope of green light singes Hermione's hair.

"Stupefy!" Harry yells

the jet of red light hits the biggest Death Eater straight in the face and he crumples instantly.

"expulso!" the other Death Eater yells

the table behind Harry and i explodes and the spell ricochets, shattering the security mirror--sending shards raining everywhere, including one that laces my cheek--then striking the Cappuccino machine, which sprays hot liquid all over the Death Eater. he bellows in pain and Hermione and i hit him with a twin stunning spell. as he spasms on the ground, Hermione adds another for good measure. the waitress steps from the back room. sees us. the wands. her gum bubble pops.

"go!" i say to her

she doesn't argue.

"lock the door, get the lights." Harry orders

i throw the bolt, Ron clicks the Deluminator, pitching the cafe into darkness.

"this one's name is Rowle. he was at the Astronomy Tower the night Snape killed Dumbledore." Harry says observing one of the Death Eaters

"this is Dolohov." i say recognizing him

Ron walks over to Dolohov, stands next to me "so what do we do with you, huh? kill us if it was turned round, wouldn't you?"

Hermione eyes him uneasily

"suppose its him that killed Mad Eye. how would you feel then?" Ron asks

"its better we wipe their memories. we kill them, they'll know we were here." i say

"Hermione?" Ron asks "you're the best with spells."

shakily she points her wand at at Dolohov "Obliviate."

we move down the busy London streets, glancing around, paranoid.

"how is is they knew we were there?" Harry asks

"maybe you still have the Trace on you." i suggest

"can't be. the Trace breaks at seventeen. wizarding law." Ron says

Hermione stops

"what?" Ron asks looking back at her

"we didn't celebrate your birthday, Harry. Ginny, Vanessa, and i--we'd prepared a cake. we were going to bring it out at the end of the wedding..." Hermione says disappointed

"Hermione. i appreciate the thought--honestly. but given that we were almost killed by a couple of Death Eaters a few minutes ago..." Harry says

"right. perspective." Hermione reminds herself

"we've got to get off these streets. get somewhere safe." i say still glancing around

"i have an idea." Harry says

a door marked by the number 12. Harry taps his wand on the weathered surface and a series of metallic clicks are heard. the door swings open with a creak.

the gas lamps spring to life, illuminating a narrow cobwebbed hallway. we glance about, then Harry takes a step forward.

"Severus Snape?" Mad Eye asks

"Mad Eye?" Harry asks confused

just then a great rush of cold air sweeps through the hallway and our tongues curl back in our mouths. something shifts in the shadows at the end of the hall, rising from the carpet--tall, dust-colored and terrible looking--then rushes towards us. its Dumbledore, but a ghostly, worm-eaten Dumbledore, a corpse come to life, with empty eye sockets and sunken face. it raises its wand and then...explodes in a great cloud of dust, swirling like mist in the corridor, drifting back to the carpet.

"what was that about?" Ron asks

"Mad Eye's doings i reckon. in case Snape decided to come snooping." i guess

just then, a floorboard creaks. we stiffen. slowly, i draw my wand, peering into the shadows "Homenum Revelio." i whisper

nothing.

"we're alone." i say